Country: Bolivia Official Name: Republic of Bolivia Election Type: Referendum Date: January 25, 2009 Source for election date

At stake in this Referendum:

• Ratification of a proposed new constitution and determination the legal ceiling on individual landholdings to be included in the new constitution.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma *
• Head of Government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma
• Assembly: Bolivia has a bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of the Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) with 27 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) with 130 seats.

* The president is both the chief of state and head of government.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• The size of the constitutional limit on individual private landholdings, to be included in the new constitution, if ratified. Voters will be asked to chose between one of two options to complete article 398 of the proposed national constitution: "ten thousand hectares" or "five thousand hectares." Article 398 of the proposed national constitution reads: "Latifundio and the double titling of land are prohibited as they are contrary to the colective interest and development of the country. Latifundio is defined as the improductive possession of land; land which does not fulfil its social economic function; the exploitation of land through the application of a system of servitude, semi-slavery, or slavery in labor relations; or property which surpasses the maximum zoned area established by law. In no case may the maximum area exceed [cieling chosen by majority of voters]"
  "Se prohíbe el latifundio y la doble titulación por ser contrarios al interés colectivo y al desarrollo del país. Se entiende por latifundio la tenencia improductiva de la tierra; la tierra que no cumpla la función económica social; la explotación de la tierra que aplica un sistema de servidumbre, semiesclavitud, o esclavitud en la relación laboral o la propiedad que sobrepasa la superficie máxima zonificada establecida en la ley. La superficie máxima en ningún caso podrá exceder de [DIEZ MIL hectáreas o CINCO MIL hectáreas]"
• Ratification of proposed national constitution, including the landholding ceiling chosen by voters in the previous provision. Voters will be asked to vote "yes" or "no" to the following question: "Are you in favor of ratifying the text of the Political Constitution of the State project, presented by the Constituent Assembly, and adjusted by the Special Reconciliation Commision of the National Congress, which includes the consensuses reached in the dialogue between the national government and the Governors and municipal representatives regarding autonomy, incorporating the outcome of the question regarding Article 298 to be decided in this same referendum, and that the document is ratified and adopted as the new Fundamental Law of the Bolivian State?"
  "¿Ã‰sta usted de acuerdo con refrendar el texto del proyecto de Constitución Política del Estado presentado por la Asamblea Constituyente, y ajustado por la Comisión Especial de Concertación del H. Congreso Nacional, que incluye los consensos logrados en el diálogo entre el Gobierno Nacional con los Prefectos y Representantes Municipales sobre autonomí­as, incorporando el resultado de la consulta sobre el artículo 398 a ser resuelto en este mismo referéndum, y que la misma sea promulgada y puesta en vigencia como nueva Ley Fundamental del Estado Boliviano?"

Electoral Requirements

• In order to be approved, an absolute majority of voters must vote in favor of ratifying the proposed constitution. If approved, the legal cieling selected by the largest proportion of voters will be included in the ratified constitution.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 9,247,816 (July 2008 est.)
• Registered Voters: 3,891,316 (January 2009 )

Last Updated on 10/21/2008

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